After opening the 476-acre D Ranch Preserve in Volusia County earlier this year, Conservation Florida has unveiled plans for a nature center set to launch in 2027.

The nonprofit will repurpose an empty barn already on the property to build out a new $2.5 million nature center with two floors and 8,000 square feet of space. Visitors will be able to visit the center — which will include classrooms, exhibits and a wraparound porch — as their gateway to the preserve.

“So far, the reception has been fantastic. The community is really rallying around the idea of the nature center being built. This is a great expansion of the property,” said Traci Deen , Conservation Florida’s CEO. “We are hoping that this will be a gateway into the wild beauty of Florida and a gathering place for the com

See Full Page